Ogier hoping for a better Safari outing after Rally Italia disappointment

World Rally Championship (WRC) 2023 season enters its second half with the highly-anticipated, legendary Safari Rally in Naivasha set for from 22 to 25 June.

Eight-time world champion Sebastian Ogier is hoping to put his Rally Italia woes behind him for a successful outing in Naivasha.

This will be Ogier's fifth appearance of the season, having elected to sit out Sweden in February and the gravel round in Portugal. He has already tasted victory twice this year, winning in Monte Carlo and Mexico, followed by a fifth in Croatia, and 14th in the latest leg.

“Thank you all for your support in Sardinia! It wasn't the weekend we were hoping for, but we'll be back in the car in Kenya already, and let's hope for a bit more success! (sic),” he wrote on his socials.

In Italy, Ogier led since the start of this sixth round of the season, but a heavy downpour in the penultimate test caused utter chaos and turned the rally on its head. 

Hunting down a record fifth Italian win in a Toyota GR Yaris, Ogier entered the stage clinging onto a slender overall lead. However, in a stunning twist of fate, the Frenchman's fortunes took a dramatic downturn when he understeered off the road, veering down a ridge just 1.4km after the start.

Hamza Anwar places eighth in Italy Rally

Belgian star Thierry Neuville, taking advantage of Ogier’s woes, headed i20 N partner Esapekka Lappi by 33.0sec in a dream 1-2 finish for Hyundai at round six of 13, scoring his 18th career success alongside co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe.

The result served as a maiden 2023 triumph for both Neuville and his team, helping the Korean marque to move within 23 points of championship-leading manufacturer Toyota Gazoo Racing.

As he turns his focus on Safari, it will be Ogier's third start in Kenya after winning the event's WRC comeback round in 2021, before leading last year's edition prior to a puncture costing him two minutes as he ended up fourth. His WRC schedule after Kenya is yet to be confirmed.

Ogier will pilot one of four Toyotas entered for the Safari including championship leader Kalle Rovanpera and team-mates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta.